MAN’S TRUE PURPOSE IN LIFE
To Elevate Himself
MAN attains his highest distinction only when he leads a purposeful life. This characterizes the most advanced stage of human development where man’s personality manifests its unique quality. An animal strives to obtain food; a bird flies in search of a better country when seasons change; a wasp busies itself building its home using tiny particles of earth; a herd of deer takes measures to protect itself from wild beasts of prey. These appear to be purposeful actions. Without doubt arranging for one’s food, clothing and habitation have to be performed; this is bare survival, a level where man and animals are equal.
On the other hand, "a purposeful life”, refers to aspects of life beyond common animalism and takes the form of superior humanism. God’s creations fall into two categories: animate and inanimate. Obviously, animates enjoy a certain superiority over inanimates. Animates include the human, animal and vegetable kingdom. Plants possess life, nourish themselves and grow. But animals and men surely represent a higher form of life. What makes man superior to animals? Modern biologists have concluded that it is man’s capacity for conceptual thought that distinguishes him from other life-forms. Animals lack this quality, whereas man is conscious of the fact that he is thinking. He consciously forms a mental plan of action and his everyday actions are self-determined. Many actions of animals may appear similar to those of men, but they all stem from pure instinct. Animals are led intuitively by their desires and their needs in a certain direction. Their actions are governed by environmental stresses from without and physical pressures from within.
Man’s life becomes purposeful only when it goes beyond common animalism and
takes the form of superior humanism.
Using his unique conceptual quality, man can conceive of a higher purpose to his life. It must emanate from his own urge to worship God. Man’s true purpose in life should reflect the higher side of his personality, the superior being that he is.The Quran gives us clear guidance in this matter. Man’s purpose in life is explained in the following words:
I created mankind and the Jinn that they might worship Me. I demand no livelihood of them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. God alone is the Munificent Giver, the Mighty One, the Invincible. (51: 56-58)
These verses specify that man’s purpose in life is worship. This elicits from man his uniqueness in its ultimate form. God does not demand of you a livelihood, the verse states; rather He is responsible for your livelihood. This means that worship of God is motivated neither by inner desires nor outer influences, but comes into being through thought alone. When a person goes beyond his self and his environment he understands that there is a higher purpose to his life.
A really purposeful life is a life in which his personality makes manifest its unique distinctive quality
When a person works, makes money, builds a house, makes an effort to improve his standard of living, he appears to be engaged in efforts towards some worthy end. This cannot be called a purposeful life; it is only a life of survival. It is the driving force of one’s desires; the pressure of one’s needs, and the wish to fulfill the demands of one’s self that underlie such a life. These are the considerations which guide a person in his search for livelihood.
Growing up, he sees that those who have an abundance of these material things enjoy respect and apparently possess every form of happiness and luxury in this world. Thus he is driven on to do more than just seek a livelihood; he desires to earn greatly in excess of his actual requirements
In bustling markets, grandiose offices, and opulent buildings, he is guided by inflated ideas of his own needs, desires, longings and ambitions to achieve fame and high status. These activities are not directed towards the purpose which sets man apart from the animal.
His true purpose in life can only be to seek the pleasure of God. When he seeks the pleasure of his Lord, his human qualities find full manifestation. This is what distinguishes man from animals. It is the ultimate station of human dignity.
To determine the purpose of life is, in short, the effort to make life meaningful. It must surely be in accordance with man’s unique status; one which leads man on the path to success and progress in terms of his true nature.